Manufacture of posts



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. S. SEAMAN.

MANUFACTURE OF POSTS, POLES, 8w.

No. 466,012. Patented Dec. 29, 1891.

5 FIGB.

Hill. F|G.2.

WITNESSES:

W; 5. WM

Att y.

'UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

} JOSEPH S. SEAMAN, OF- PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FACTU RE Q P POSTS, PHOLES, &.c'.

SPEGIFIGATICN forming part of Letters Patent No.4 6 6 ,O12, dated December 29, 1891.

Application filed June 16, 1891. seanno.--s96,471.' (liomocleh) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. SEAMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Posts, Poles, &c., of which im and'the blanks cut therefrom in manufactur-' ing my improved post or pole. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the blanks after being bentto shape, Figs. 3 and 4 are views in elevation and cross-section of a form of a post or pillar,

having its flanges welded together. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are views in elevation and cross-seetion of my improved form of post or pillar, the plane of section of Figs. 6 and 7 beingindicated by the line to m, Fig. 5. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are cross-sectional views showing dilfere nt modifications of my improvedv post. is a view similar to Fig. 9, showing the man-' ner of bracing or re-enforcing the post or pillar. Figs. 12, 13, and 14 are sectional elevations of portions of rolls adapted for welding the flanges of various shapes of myimproved post or pole.

In manufacturing posts, pillars, or poles of the class to which my improvement belongsi. e., those having a hollow body portion with external radial flangesit has been the universal custom to secure the flanges of the several sections forming the post or pillar together by rivets. This method requires considerable labor and time, and therebygreatlyincreases the cost of manufacture.

In the practice of my invention the blanks or sections 1 of a post, pillar, or pole are, after being bent to the required shape and placed in proper relation to each other, heated in a suitable furnace to a welding-heat and then passed through between suitable rolls, as

Fig. 11'

-.tnring posts or poleshaving only two flanges 2, the welding-rolls 1}. maybe constructed as shown in Fig.-'1.'i. (2., with a groove or pass in In manufae- I showninFigs.12,13,and14. -Wheu manufac-' I granted to me May 26, 1885, and April 2, 1889,

respectively, is preferably employed. This mill consists of two horizontal rolls B and one or two vertical rolls 0, the latter operating" between and being driven by the horizontal rolls, as fully set forth in said Letters Pat cut. The horizontal and vertical rolls are provided with grooves or passes permitting of the free movement of the body portions of the posts, pillars, or poles, and with plain parallel faces 4, adapted to engage and compress the flanges 2 together. .As described in said Letters Patent, the adjustment of the vertical rolls is eifected by and dependent upon the adjustment of the horizontal rolls. This manner of unitingthe flanges.

of the parts or sections composing the post, pole, or pillar forms -theminto an integral structure more rapidly and with much a less labor than the riveting process heretofore employed; and, further, it is desirable where the post or pole is subjected to great transverse strains to connect the flanges at as.

many points as practicable to prevent the outward buckling. of the flanges on the side of the compressive strain; but under the old practice of riveting the number of rivets employed is necessarily limited. The welding of the flanges efiects their union at all points without any weakening thereof.

In making posts, poles, or pillars tapering from the base to the top it has been customary to make the body portion tapering-i. e., of gradually-decreasing diameter from the bottom to the top-while the flanges were made of a uniform width or projection from the body portion throughout their entire length.

' in'g such sections may be employed.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that it is practically impossible to weld the flanges of a post or pillar having a tapering body portion by means of rolls, as hereinbefore described. In order to provide for the manufacture of posts, poles, &c., havin g a larger bearingat the bottom than at the top in the manner'hereinbefore described- 1.. 6., by welding the flanges together-I form them with a body portion of uniform diameter from bottom to top, while the flanges 2 gradually decrease in width from the bottom to the top, as shown in Fig. 5. cylindrical portion of the posts or pillars being of uniformdiameter, they can be readily passed through the grooves of the rolls shown in Figs. 12, 13, and ll, the flanges being compressed by the plain portions of the rolls, as hereinbefore described.

In making these tapering posts, pillars, or poles, it is preferred to cut a plate of metal, as 5, Fig. 1, of a width sufficient to form two blanks on a diagonal line, as 6. The blanks thus formed are then bent by any suitable mechanism into the form shown in Fig. 2 with a central longitudinal groove or gutterv either circular or square in cross-section and lateral flanges increasing in Width from end to end. The form of section shown in Fig- .2 is adapted for the manufacture of poles or posts having three flanges',bnt can be slightly modified, "as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, in accordance with thelcharacter of the pole or pillar desired-11 e., withtwo, three, ,or more flanges-and with a circular or square body portion, as shown in Figs. 6, 8, 9, and 10. V I

Posts, poles, and pillars thus constructed will have as stable a hearing at their base as those having a tapering body portion,- and will present, by reason of their wider flanges, greater resistance as against lateral strains. While it is preferred to unite the sections having a uniform body portion and tapering flanges by means of welding, as herein before described, any other suitable means foruni Where the pole or pillar is sub e'cted to. great strains, theymay be re-enforced by sec-- tions 8, as shown in Fig. 11. The re-enforcing-sections are constructed in the same mauneras the sections of the main or interior The body or.

an arc of larger radius and the flanges are made narrower. If desired, the flanges of the re-enforcing sections may be welded to the flanges of'the interior post or pole or may be riveted thereto.

I claim herein asmy invention- 1. In a post, pillar, or pole, the combination of a series of two or more sections, each section having a central groove or gutter and lateral flanges, the flanges of said sections being welded together, substantially as set forth.

2. In a post, pole, or pillar, the combination of a series of two or more sections, each section having a central groove or gutter of uniform dimensions and lateral flanges decreasing in width from end to end, the flanges of said sections'being secured together,substantially as set forth. I

In a post, pillar, or pole, the combination of a series of two or more sections, each section having a central groove or gutter of uniform dimensions and lateral flanges decreasing in width from end to end, the flanges of said sections being welded together, substantially as set forth.

4. In a pole, pillar, or post, the combination of a series of two or more sections, each section having acentral groove or gutter and lateral flanges, the latter being secured together, and braces or re-enforces consisting of metal plates provided with central grooves or gutters and lateral flanges, said braces fitting between the flanges of the pole or post sections and having its flanges secured to the flanges of said sections, substantially as set forth.

5. As an improvement in the art of manufacturing tapering posts, pillars, or poles, the

method herein described, which consists in cutting a metal plate of uniform width on a diagonal line, forming a central groove or gutter in the blanks thus formed and thereby forming flanges gradually decreasing in width from end to end, arranging two or more of the shaped sections with their flanges in contact, and then securing said flanges together, sub stantial! y as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my. hand.

JOSEPH S. SEAMAN. \Vitn esses:

DARWIN S. WoLoorr, E. II. WHITTLEsEY. 

